[This Release Forwarded By The
National Space Society On Behalf Of The Huntsville, Al, L5
Chapter]

(Huntsville, Alabama) -- March 27 -- A combination
of an electrical problem, increasing winds, and increasing air
traffic resulted in a scrub of the first attempt to launch the
Project HALO Space Launch 1 rockoon on Saturday, March 22. With
winds forecasted to be breezier on March 23, the Project HALO team
decided to scrub for the weekend and to try again at a later date.
The group has tentatively selected May as the month for the second
attempt.

The electrical problem has been traced to a electronic timer in
the gondola electronics package -- part of the backup safety system
for the rockoon. The timer, which was to have triggered seven hours
after switching to internal battery power, instead triggered less
than ten minutes later. The most probable cause was radio
interference from an ATV transmitter.

The backup safety system is designed to enable release of the
gondola from the balloon in case the balloon drifts off course or
the rocket does not fire. (The primary means to release the gondola
is for the rocket to launch right through the balloon.)

Once released, the gondola would fall and pull on two cords. One
cord would deploy the gondola parachute. The other cord would pull
open a "tear-out panel" on one side of the balloon, which would
allow helium to escape and the balloon to float back to the
earth.

The gondola release system is composed of two "cut-down squibs"
attached to ropes on either side of the gondola. The cut-down
squibs are fired in a pre-programmed sequence triggered either by a
coded uplink command or by the backup timer. Despite the timer
problem, the sequence did proceed as programmed and both cut-down
squibs successfully cut through their ropes. A minute later, as
programmed, two other cut-down squibs attached to the tear-out
panel cord also fired successfully.

Testing of the electronics package is still being performed.
Possible solutions include replacing the electronic timer with a
mechanical one, or removing the timer, as it is merely a backup to
the uplink command. A final decision is expected in about two
weeks. For updates, visit the following URL:
http://iquest.com/~hal5/HALO/SL-1/

The gondola was still on the ground when the squibs fired and at
no time was there any danger of the rocket firing. The rocket
launch electronics are contained on an independent circuit that has
no timers. Only a coded uplink command can fire the rocket.

The squibs fired at about 7:20 AM. The Project HALO team was
slightly behind schedule due to this being their first nighttime
operation. The FAA had been called and had agreed to extend the
launch window from 6:30 AM to 7:30; but they warned that air
traffic would be increasing after that. The large plastic helium
balloon was inflated and ready to carry the rocket and gondola to
90,000 feet. The SL-1 rocket was fueled and ready for its historic
mission to become the first amateur rocket, and the first hybrid
rocket, to reach space. Winds had increased overnight, however, and
were beginning to become breezy.

Without the cut-down squibs, the rocket provided the only means
to pop the balloon and release the gondola. About a half hour more
was needed to attach new ropes to the gondola. These, added to the
concerns of increasing winds and increasing air traffic, tipped the
balance in favor of safety, and the first attempt was scrubbed.

The hybrid rocket oxidizer tank was drained and the rocket was
repackaged for its journey back to Huntsville, Alabama. The balloon
was carefully deflated (which is not easy when the plastic material
is thinner than food wrap!) and repackaged as well. Because the
balloon is not designed to be reused, the HALO team decided not to
use it for the second rockoon attempt. Instead, the balloon will be
used for further subsystem tests.

The second rockoon attempt has been tentatively scheduled for
May, contingent upon resolving the electrical problem and on
raising sufficient money. About $5,000 is needed to cover some
remaining expenses for the first attempt and to cover the second.
Donations from private individuals are more than welcome and would
be very much appreciated. For more information, send E-mail to
hal5@iquest.com or visit:
http://iquest.com/~hal5/HALO/donations.shtml

# # #

Forwarded by the National Space Society, Washington, DC

The National Space Society is an independent space advocacy
organization with headquarters in Washington, DC. Its 25,000
members and 95 chapters around the world advocate a spacefaring
civilization. For more information on the NSS and our future in
space, visit http://www.nss.org/.